Strength and Smiles
by mad-baxley-shipper
Summary: A series of shots about the future I believe Baxley might have. This is my first fanfiction so please review. Hope you enjoy!
1. A Proposal

It had been a wonderful evening, or so he told himself. Lady Edith had tied the knot- finally, and Baby Bates had finally arrived, in Lady Mary's bedroom no less. Everything had turned out wonderfully, but something was still missing for him at any rate, and hopefully her. She was delighted that Mr Barrow had returned, laughing at everything he said and for a split second he had a sly wish that it was him being laughed at. He made up his mind.

She felt the tap at her arm and smiled as he whispered "Miss Baxter, could you join me for a moment." "Of course, why don't we go and see Anna and the baby." He nodded and followed her. They smiled at each other and engaged in harmless small talk as they climbed the stairs.

"Miss Baxter could you wait a moment." he said before she could knock on the door. He beckoned her into the bedroom next door.

"The thing is I made a new years resolution, and it sort of involves, well, you." She stared at him expectantly. He swallowed. His throat had gone very dry all of a sudden and he wasn't quite sure why.

"Well, I had people I was friends with, but I never really had friends. I was sort of alone, until I met you. That was when I started to feel that I was worth something, that I could make a difference to someone, even be loved by someone?" He finished quite shyly looking up waiting for her reaction. She smiled. That was enough. He dropped onto one knee and stumbled over the phrase

"missbaxterwillyoumarryme" she looked at his pleading face and loving eyes and smiled

"Yes"

"Will you, Will you kiss me?" he stuttered. In response she leaned forwards and planted a small kiss on his cheek. Then she kissed him on the lips, slowly and tenderly. They only broke apart when they heard a cough from behind them. They sprang apart, scarlett flushing her face as he seemed to shrink under the penetrating gaze of Mrs Hughes.

"I am not going to ask what just happened here, but I would appreciate it if you could not repeat it?"

"That might not be possible i'm afraid Mrs Hughes." Miss Baxter said quietly.

"And why would that be?"

"Because we're engaged." The look on her face shifted from accusation to happiness

"Oh that is wonderful, have you set a date?"

"Well we only got engaged thirty seconds ago" She smiled them and left. They followed and turned into the room that held the Bates' and their baby. Mr Molesley smiled as his fiancee cooed over the little boy.

"Mr Molesley there's something we want to ask you. We were wondering if you would be godfather to our son" John asked.

"oh Of, of course Mr Bates, thank you.

Anna turned to Phyllis. "We would have asked you, but i'm afraid-"

"Don't worry. Lady Mary deserves it far more than I do, and anyway. Godparents shouldn't be married."


	2. Cold feet

The news had hit downstairs and spread like wildfire! Miss Baxter had broken off her engagement to Mr Molesley the previous day. He had not been seen since and her eyes were red rimmed. Everybody wanted to know why but nobody wanted to breech the subject and in the end it was Thomas who cornered her on the stairs.

"Miss Baxter will you please explain why you have thrown away your one shot of happiness for no apparent reason?" Her face turned white and she tried to dodge past him but he grabbed her arm.

"I-I don't know what you-"She started to stutter but he cut in before she could finish.

"Yes, Miss Baxter you do, and you are going to tell me why or I will talk to Mr Molesley and see why he makes of it." He let her go. They loved each other, anyone with eyes could see that, so what was her reason for breaking it off with him?

She spent of the rest of the day in a daze, dreading the evening. It wasn't because she was scared of Thomas. They had known each other for years and each knew the other only wanted the best for them. It was that she wasn't quite sure if she could give a reason for it. It had been so clear when she had actually broken it, but now she wasn't so sure and if she didn't have a solid reason he would pick everything apart. Even Lady Grantham had noticed, and told her not to come up after dinner. This did not improve her mood as she couldn't even rely on the bell to give her a premature escape when it was needed.

He caught her and almost pushed her into one of the armchairs near the fire.

"Thomas, I don't have time for this, let me go."

"No, tell me, what he did. Did he hurt you?" She looked confused at his tone, it was both angry, and _worried!_ He was _worried_ about _her!_

"Of course not. Mr Molesley is the kindest person in the world. For God's sake, he probably couldn't hurt someone even if he wanted to." She broke off when she caught sight of his expression.

"If he's so kind and perfect, why did you call off the engagement?"

"Because I'm not gentle or perfect or worth love and affection from anyone, least of all him." The answer burst from her exploding out of her, shocking everyone in the immediate vicinity attempting to eavesdrop. Thomas' mouth fell open and then he smiled.

"That is why you broke it off, because you're not _worthy of his love?_ He doesn't care about Coyle or prison, if that's why you're hesitating. All he cares about is you and having you in his life! And you want him in your life as well. I know you. For God's sake Phyllis. Tomorrow, you go and see him and you tell him why, and you see what he says, and I'll come with you if you want, ok?"

"There are things, things that not even he would be able to forgive." She replied,casting an anxious look around. Everyone quickly returned to whatever they had been doing.

"Have you killed someone?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Have you ever been violent or fraudulent or dishonest in any way?" She shook her head again.

"Then he won't mind. If you really don't want to marry him that's fine, but I can't believe you would throw this away.

"Ok. If you really mean it. And although I appreciate the gesture, I would rather you didn't make an appearance."

"Of course. Goodnight Miss Baxter."

"Goodnight Mr Barrow."


	3. An Important Conversation

**Thank you to everyone who said such lovely things about it so far**

She knocked on the door before she really knew what she was doing. She could hear him as he called

"I'm coming." He opened the door and gasped as he saw who it was. It was quite comical. He was covered in white paint and this, combined with the look on his face made her want to laugh.

"What are you doing here? I, I mean, what can I do for you Miss Baxter?"

"Well, I, - I need to talk to you, could, could I come in?"

"If you must." His icy tone shocked her; she had never seen him so cold.

When she entered the living room she saw it had changed since she had last been there. Mr Molesley had painted the walls with leaves, but he seemed to be erasing it.

"These are nice."

"Thank you. It was a surprise for you. Phyllis means foliage in some language or another. I wanted you to come into your new home and see, but I guess that's not going to happen now." He let out a small laugh to which she smiled.

"I've been talking to Mr Barrow"

"Yes, you two did always get along very well"

"He said some things. He said I should tell you the truth. About Coyle. He said if that's why I'm breaking it off, I'm ridiculous. He said you would forgive me. So I am going to tell you the truth. But I love you. So if you decide you would like to get married, I would love to get married on Saturday."

"OK."

"Well, you know what happened, because that's what Thomas knew, but even he didn't know everything. You may have g-guessed, but if not, I'll spell it out for you. Coyle and I were together. Physically. And we were as c-c-careful as we could be, but it wasn't long before I got pregnant. He s-said he would marry me. He s-said we would run away from servitude. I just had to do two things. First steal the jewels. Second, get r-r-rid of it. And of course, I did exactly as he s-said. I hate it, what I did, every day. I hate that I wait on her ladyship, who lost a baby in 1914, and Lady Edith, who would rather live in scandal than let someone else raise Miss Marigold. And I-I-I got rid of mine."

She was crying by this time. It hurt him, not just her revelations, but the way he could do nothing about them. He reached out and tucked her into his arms as she sobbed into his shoulder. It took her a little while to recover, but when she did, she looked up at him. Her eyes were wide, drowning, begging to be rescued, but even if she hadn't looked desperate, even if she hadn't just broken down in his arms, he still would've got down on one knee.


	4. A Wedding

It took a few moments from when she woke up to see the white dress hanging on the wall, and a few more to realise what it meant.

"I'm getting married today" she whispered to herself and smiled. She lay there a few moments, just relishing a few moments alone, when there was a knock at the door. Anna, Mrs Hughes and Daisy entered. They were already in their best, which made her feel very out of place in her night dress, but they had an array of smiles to match her own.

"You really do look the blushing bride, Miss Baxter." Mrs Hughes said.

"Soon to be Mrs Molesley" Anna smiled. They gossiped and laughed as they got her into the white dress and tied up her hair in an elegant up-do. She gasped as she stepped in front of the mirror.

"I look so different."

"You look beautiful," Daisy said, "Mr Molesley will be blown away."

"Come down when you're ready love" Mrs Hughes said, closing the door behind her.

Phyllis took one last look around the room that had been her home, her safety for five years. This is where she had cried over Thomas and Coyle, where she danced after the proposal, her whole life revolved around this room, and she was about to leave it, probably forever. She took a deep breath and walked out shutting the door behind her. Now she had his home, his safety. She could cry with him and dance with him. Their lives would revolve around each other.

As she climbed down the stairs she tripped, so staggering straight into Thomas.

"I thought you were the graceful one." He said smiling slightly.

-He had overslept. The most important day of his life and he had overslept. It was only when John had come in to warn him that he had woken up. He dressed hurriedly and left the house three minutes before he was due at the church, running down the road. He was pushed into place just as the organ started to play. He caught site of her as she began the slow walk down the aisle. She was in a plain white dress from one of Mrs Patmore's catalogues, which she had hand-embroidered with a pattern of falling leaves and petals. Although she was smiling, she was gripping onto Thomas' arm with a vice like grip. He was beaming, so proud to be giving away the woman who was practically his sister. He knew that, though they would never be best friends, they would try not to put up with each other, at least in front of Phyllis.

When she reached the altar, Travers said

"Please be seated." And the ceremony began.


	5. And a Reception

As they walked back down the aisle, she caught quick glimpses of cheering well-wishers. She knew they were mostly here for him, but it was nice to know how many people actually cared. Her ladyship was clapping, the dowager was banging her stick on the floor, and on the other side of the church, Anna was crying, her little boy jumping on the bench to get a better view. Parents and old students were in the back of the church, and more were gathered outside the church. She looked up into his eyes and he smiled, and kissed her, there was more clapping and a few whoops.

They walked down the road, with the rest of the congregation following until they reached the schoolhouse. A scruffy banner was hanging from the entrance, it read "Congratulations Mr and Mrs Molesley" They smiled at each other and walked underneath, entering the room, filled with tables, heaving with food and presents.

"Congratulations Mr and Mrs Molesley!" Her ladyship came up behind them, smiling , at them. "It was a wonderful service. I wish you all the love and joy in the world." Her husband came up behind her, nodding vigorously.

"Yes, yes. Congratulations." And they walked off, arm in arm.

Throughout the day, they were greeted by a never ending stream of people, but there was only one person she really wanted to talk to, but it wasn't until the end of the day, that she finally managed it.

"Hello Thomas."

"Hello Phyllis"

"Thank you for giving me away."

"You think I would miss it?"

"Thomas," she said, her voice taking a more serious tone, as she looked at him, "thank you, for everything. For getting me this job, for persuading to accept him, for, for"

"I know."

"You're my little brother, you know. Not by blood, but in my mind, you are my little brother."

"And you have always been my sister, now, your husband is shooting us looks, which means it must be nearly time for you to go. Do you still have no idea where you're going?" she shook her head "Well you're going to love it. Go on then."

"Could I have your attention?" Joseph Molesley called to the room at large, and gradually silence fell, "In a few moments my wife and I are going to leave on our honeymoon, but first I would like to say a few words. At the end of Lady Rose's first season, Mr Carson took us all to the beach. I sat down next to this beautiful woman and she said "Your strength makes me strong," and I said "What?" but I understand now. I make her strong. I support her, and she supports me. We make each other strong. And that is not the only reason I love her, but it is a significant one. To my beautiful bride, Phyllis." He beamed at her as everyone raised there glasses. Then, she walked to the door as everyone cheered, and all the unmarried women congregated behind her. She threw bouquet high, and it soared into Daisy's out stretched arms. She smiled at Andy, who winked back. Everyone cheered and clapped as they walked out of the doors, ready to start their new life.

"Are you finally going to tell me where we're going on our honeymoon?" Phyllis asked. He looked down at her with a stupidly cute grin on his face.

" Venice."


End file.
